The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to implantable medical devices and methods and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to devices having complex configuration profiles, which potentially require or benefit from periodic reconfigurations over an extended period of use.
Some classes of implantable medical devices, including pacemakers, defibrillators, neurostimulators and contractility modulation IPG (implantable pulse generator) devices, include programmable features by which an attending doctor adjusts device function. Setup parameters include those for initial device configuration, and/or adjustment to changing patient needs. Some setup parameters dynamically govern device response to sensed information provided to and/or by the device. Some implantable devices log performance and/or sensed data for simultaneous and/or off-line analysis by a physician.
Some of today's devices offer interfaces that contain over hundred different parameters. It is potentially necessary to change many of them at once to bring about a functional adjustment. Moreover, the effects of different parameters potentially interact with one another, increasing configuration complexity. Device function optionally adjusts according to changing patient status and condition.
The device may include sensing functions and/or interface with sensing data, based upon which device function may self-adjust.
Programmable parameters are typically configured in terms of technically defined quantities, for example, voltage, impedance, electrode characteristics, rate of change (slope/first derivative), rate of rate of change (slope of rate of change/second derivative), maximum rate, energy to be delivered, and/or thresholds defining events.